In the name of the cow

A conservation strategy that ignores the interests of cultivators and rearers, and relies on religious taboo, is dangerous.

The National Green Tribunal has issued a notice to the Centre on a plea seeking to save “critically endangered indigenous species of livestock” and take “necessary steps” to prevent slaughtering of such milch cattle. Nobody can dispute the need for protecting native animal and plant species from extinction. The problem is in the proposed approach — in the use of force and the ignoring of interests of actual cultivators, rearers and practitioners, without whom no conservation strategy can work. Desi cows today supply just about a fifth of India’s milk production; the rest comes from buffaloes and crossbred cattle. The “villains” here aren’t those engaged in slaughter, but farmers themselves. Indigenous cattle breeds such as Gir, Red Sindhi and Sahiwal typically give not more than 2,000 litres of milk annually, compared to 4,000 litres-plus for crossbreds. Their age of first calving is also upwards of four years, as against two or less for the latter. It isn’t surprising, therefore, that farmers opt for either crossbreds or buffaloes, which yield higher-fat milk and are easier to dispose of after they cease to be productive.

There is no doubting that desi cattle are more disease-resistant and better adapted to the tropical climatic conditions than exotic Holstein Friesian, Jersey or Brown Swiss dairy breeds. The main purpose of crossbreeding has been to marry the inherent hardiness of the former with the higher genetic milk yields of the latter, with the resultant milch animals incorporating 50 per cent or more “western” blood levels. The petition has rightly called for the regulation of crossbreeding to ensure no disease-exposure risk to indigenous cattle species. One can, likewise, agree that there should be more research on improving milk yields of indigenous cattle even without resort to crossbreeding. The fact that the scope for such genetic upgradation exists has been proven in buffaloes, where there are no exotic animals and milk yields have still gradually risen through the use of genetic material from proven bulls of superior indigenous breeds like Murrah and Nili-Ravi.

But no scientific national breeding improvement programme can succeed without selective culling of unproductive animals. This has been possible in buffaloes, thanks to no religious taboos in their slaughter, enabling farmers to reserve scarce fodder and feed resources for high-milking animals or the young calves they will produce in future. Not allowing slaughter of unproductive cattle in the name of conserving indigenous livestock breeds — which is what the petition has sought — will only expedite their extinction, as farmers will simply switch over to buffaloes. Such pseudo-environmentalism, while compatible with Hindu far-right ideology, is dangerous both for the future of dairying and the country’s social fabric.

Food is a personal choice. It is not even a majority issue. Lot many Hindus eat beef in India as well as when they go abroad. They do not openly mention it though. So why this is a problem?. It is OK as long as no one asks other to eat specific food which the other does not want to eat.

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Manjunath

Oct 5, 2015 at 1:19 pm

indian native breed cow's main use is supposed to be cow dung and , which have exceptional qualities in enriching the fertility of soil for farming, which is not the same for cross breeds.
So there is NO 'unproductive (native breed) cattle'. Yes HF & Jersey breeds can be termed unproductive as their main use is milk only.
Native breeds can help farmers with natural farming, reducing their burden on harmful chemical manure. Their milk though less in quany in a time, yields more fat, and yields more lactations / offsprings, leading to comparable amount of milk in long run.
Native breed protection is to save nature, produce chemical free food, savour healthy A2 milk. There is no communal angle here.
Awareness needs to be brought in regarding:
- benefits of native breeds vs ill effects of HF, Jersey, cross breeds
- economic benefits
- procedures to enrich soil fertility using dung & (increasing micro organisms)
We need to fight the right battle.

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G M

Oct 5, 2015 at 11:00 pm

Sir your observation, "Not allowing slaughter of unproductive cattle in the name of conserving indigenous livestock breeds — which is what the peion has sought — will only expedite their extinction, as farmers will simply switch over to buffaloes. Such pseudo-environmentalism, while compatible with Hindu far-right ideology, is dangerous both for the future of dairying and the country’s social fabric " is right. The brehmanical Hindu order ( which discriminates on the basis of colour) is still in practice otherwise the same logic would have applied to glorify, admire and worship the black Buffalo which is applied for white cows.

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APUPADHYAY

Oct 5, 2015 at 2:01 pm

Cow protection has beem an old practice in Both India & Nepal. We need deep musings for the diminishong value of bull calves.

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APUPADHYAY

Oct 5, 2015 at 2:46 pm

Quotes notwithstanding, Cow continues a volatile holy animal in India & Nepal for the big majority of many sects. Can Pork be made a public issue?